A one-time couple who met in Chicago, their longstanding relationship helps feed their show, an improvised look at relationships titled “Kismet.”

The two decided that San Antonio, Grimm’s hometown, might be just the place. There are a few troupes here, but the scene isn’t as established as it is in other big cities, they said.

Shortly after Grimm came back to Texas last year, Jackson followed. They did shows here and in Austin, scoping out the scene and making connections.

They figured the dream of having their own space was still a ways off. But then they learned that the Overtime Theater was moving out of its space near the Pearl, seeking more affordable digs on the North Side.

It seemed like a good spot. And Grimm and Jackson both felt that they were ready to take the plunge.

So they did.

Bexar Stage opens for business Friday. It will be a full-service improv theater, presenting performers of all stripes as well as offering classes and workshops.

“We want to create an improv hub,” Jackson said.

The opening night lineup includes “Kismet,” as well as sets by Missed Opportunity and Alamo City Improv.

To get ready for the weekend, Grimm, Jackson and a slew of friends and volunteers have spent the past few weeks working on the space. The walls have been painted, the floors are being redone and the space is being rejiggered a bit. For one thing, the lobby has been opened up and the windows have been uncovered, filling the space with light.

The Overtime set up the building as a two-venue spot, and that setup remains. For the time being, though, Grimm and Jackson will be presenting performances solely in the smaller theater. It seats about 50, with the audience seated in chairs on risers.

The larger performance space will be used primarily as a classroom. A roomy area just off the lobby will be both an office and a spot for writing classes.

The space is being designed as a hangout where students and performers can connect and bounce ideas off of each other.

“That’s where the community aspect to this comes in,” Jackson said.

She and Grimm plan to tap into their network of improv contacts from across the country to program the space, but they also want to showcase local talent and help beginners hone their skills.

“We could have found a much smaller space,” Grimm said. “There are people in town doing good work already, and not having a high-profile space is hindering the growth.”

Working in a space specifically designed to be a theater can be a big boost, Jackson said.

“It helps the performers, being in a space that feels important,” she said.

Performer Cary Farrow said the improv scene in San Antonio has evolved since he co-founded Alamo City Improv three years ago.

“When we started our theater, we had people literally telling us, ‘You can’t do improv in San Antonio; go to Austin,’” Farrow recalled. “We just didn’t accept that answer, so we started our theater anyway. Now the climate has changed a lot. People are starting to get it — improv can happen here.”

In addition to his troupe, the main companies that regularly offer improv programming around town, he said, are ComedySportz, which offers family-friendly shows, and the Denials, which perform short sketches at the Overtime.

Each has a distinct identity, Farrow said, which is a good thing for performers of all skill levels.

“The more places there are, the more likely someone will find a home for themselves,” he said.

Alamo City Improv currently performs in a tiny space in the basement of the Magic Time Machine. The company has been saving up and hopes to have a space of its own in the next year or so, Farrow said.

His company will be dark this weekend so they can perform at and support the opening of Bexar Stage.

“With Bexar Stage (opening), on any given night an audience might have to choose between four different theaters to get quality improv entertainment, and that’s just a good thing,” he said. “Now suddenly the message isn’t ‘you can’t do improv here’ — now it’s ‘San Antonio is an improv town.’”

Bexar Stage, 1203 Camden, has its grand opening Friday. Doors open at 7 p.m.; performances are at 8, 8:30 and 9 p.m. and tickets cost $20. The lineup holds sets by Missed Opportunity, Alamo City Improv and Kismet. Showtime is 8 p.m. Saturday; tickets cost $10, and the lineup is Girls Girls Girls, Bruce Banner and Los Improviachis. In addition, Nelson Velasquez will lead a workshop titled “Scene into Song” at 6 p.m. Sunday; the fee is $30. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com. Info, bexarstage.com.